Retarded glide bomb

ABSTRACT

An aerial bomb having a casing equipped with auxiliary airfoil surfaces hingedly mounted thereto, and movable between a retracted position in flush relation to the bomb casing and an extended position oriented at an angle-of-attack to the air stream to provide a lifting force to, and thus retard the fall of, the bomb and its subsequent explosive impact with the target area to thereby allow the delivery aircraft to reach a safe position.

United States Patent 1 1 Rivenes 1 Apr. 3, 1973 s41 RETARDED GLIDE BOMB 3,010,677 11/1961 Guthrie et al ..'..1o2 3 x 3,430,562 3/1969 Sautier [751 Invent Riven, l 3,112,906 12/1963 Zeyher ..102/4 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States FO-REIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Atomic Energy Commission, Wash- 112,718 1/1918 Great Britain ..244/3.29 ington, D.C. [22] Ffled' Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle [21'] Appl. No.: 97,470 Attorney-Harry A. Herbert, .1r. and Arthur R. Parker v 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. ..102/4, 89/l.5 R, 244/3.27, 1

. 4 33 R An aerial bomb hav1ng a casmg equ1pped w1th aux1l1a- [51] Int. Cl ..F42b 25/02 y all'foll surfaces hmgedly mounted thereto, and [58] Field of Search "102/1 2 3 4 244/327 movable between a retracted position in flush relation 244/3 28 2,, 89/15 'to the bomb casing and an extended position oriented at an angle-of-attack to the air stream to provide a lifting force to, and thus retard the fall of, the bomb and [56] References Cited its subsequent explosive impact with the target area to UNITED STATES PATENTS thereby allow the delivery aircraft to reach a safe position. 1,300,708 4/1919 Edison ..244/3.27 1,448,166 3/1923 Strong..; ..244/3.29 7'Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEBAPRa I975 SHEET 1 UF 4 IN VENTOR. l7. 5. E/ Vf/VIS I PATENTEDAPRB 1973 3.724 373 SHEET 3 BF 4 RETARDED GLIDE BOMB BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The relatively low altitude delivery of aerial bombs, in hundreds of feet, is preferable in many situations to the relatively high altitude deliveryv thereof, in

thousands of feet. However, there are many problems danger area. Another requirement is to ensure that the loading on the bomb at impact will be relatively low.

The present invention solves the foregoing problems by employing a built-in retardation means automatically operative on release of thebomb to both delay and reduce the impact thereof with the target area in a rather unique and yet simplified manner to be disclosed hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION- The present invention briefly consists of an improved technique of retarding the fall and impact of an aerial bomb, released at relatively low altitude, until the delivery aircraft has reached a safe distance from the target area. In the overall aerial delivery system employed, a relatively small drag-type parachute may be deployed, immediately after the release of the bomb, for the initial retardation of the released bomb, which operation is thereafter followed by the application of the novel additional retarding means of the present invention and, finally, by the subsequent deployment of .a relatively large parachute providing for the slow descent of the released bomb for a relatively low impact on the target area.

The unique retarding means of the present invention involves the incorporation of a pair of lifting surfaces that are hingedly mounted to the bombing casing and preferably automatically actuatable between a nonoperative position in flush relation to the bomb casing and an outer, extended and operative position actually developing lift and thereby resulting in an increase in bomb height above theground to a predetermined altitude at which the previously-noted relatively large parachute may be deployed. The inventive apparatus used for temporarily lifting the released bomb to an altitude above the bomb release point to enable the delivery aircraft to, reach a safe haven will be further described in the following summary and detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the trajectory sequence of the inventive retarded glide bomb;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partly broken away, showing further details of the wing panels comprising the lifting surfaces-of the present invention as they-are mounted in a test vehicle;

FIG- 4 is another, partly schematic, view showing details of the unique actuator mechanism used with, and forming an integral part of, the positive control of the opening and closing of the wing panels of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 represents still another schematic view of one form of the power source that may be used to supply high pressure gas to the pneumatic actuator mechanism of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring generally to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 2 thereof, the overall trajectory sequence on release of the retarded glide bomb of the present invention from its delivery aircraft is illustrated in schematic form. First of all, on reaching the bomb release point, at the position marked 1, the retarded glide bomb 10 of the present invention is dropped from the delivery aircraft ll. Initially, glide bomb 10 starts on its normally unretarded glide path, as shown at the position A. However, almost immediately after its release, a relatively small parachute, shown generally at 12 in the said FIG. 2 and in more detail in FIG. 1a, may be deployed in a well-known manner to provide (1) proper separation distance between thesaid aircraft and born'bv I0 when the latter is forced to glide upwardly to a predetermined higher altitude from the taneously, with the deployment of the parachute 12,

the unique lifting surfa'ces,.or wing panels, indicated generally at 14 in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, which form the key feature of the present invention, may be actuated to their opened position, which results in the bomb 10 actually gliding upwardly to a higher altitude under the impetus of the release speed thereof and the lifting effect of the said wing panels 14. The action resulting from the lifting effect of the wing panels 14 is depicted schematically at the progressively higher and higheri positions,,marked 13", C and D. Inthis connection, it is noted that, on the bomb 10 reaching the position B, the delivery aircraft 11 has now simultaneously reached the position 2.

On arriving at the position D, the bomb 10 has I reached its topmost or highest altitude after its release from the aircraft. This position is achieved after a predetermined time depending, of course, on the velocity of the aircraft at the bomb release point 1, the aerodynamic characteristics of the bomb l0 and the inherent lift of the wings 14. At this point, D, a larger type of parachute, as at 13, may be deployed, also, in a well-known manner, and the bomb 10 is thereby slowly lowered from this considerably greater altitude to the target area, schematically represented at 15. By this time, the delivery aircraft 11 has had ample time to reach a safe distance away from the said target area.

With specific reference to FIGS. 1 and la of the drawings, the unique retarded glide bomb 10 of the present invention is illustrated as consisting principally of a main bomb body or casing 10a, stabilizing fins at 10b, and the previously-referred to novel lifting surfaces or wing panels 14. The latter elements are shown in FIG. 1, in their closed or retracted position in flush relation to, and thereby forming part of the said bomb body or casing a, and in their opened position in FIG. la. Thus, the bomb configuration of FIG; 1 represents the actual shape to be carried by the delivery aircraft 11 by means of any appropriate and well-known bomb release mechanism (not shown). To provide for, and ensure the opening and closing of the said wing panels 14, which actually uniquely consist of a pair of identical panels at Ma and 14b, and which are taken from the bomb shape itself, may each be hinged, as by means of the hinges at 16 and 17 shown in FIGS. la and 3 for the wing panel 14a, to the aforesaid bomb casing 10a. These hinges, as at 16 and 17, may be positioned along a pre-designated angle of incidence oriented in offset relation, or, in other words, at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the bomb 10, so that, upon opening, said wing panels 14a, 14b will automatically assume an angle of attack to the air stream that increaseswith the increased opening thereof to thereby generate an everincreasing lift to the bomb 10, when the latter is released from the delivery aircraft 11. Therefore, it is obvious that the bomb 10 does not itself have to be set at an angle of attack, as with normal aircraft, to obtain lift.

Although actually developing lift as indicated hereinbefore, the aforementioned wing panels, 14a, 14b, do not have airfoil sections, as with the normal wing, but, instead, merely and simply each consists of an arcuateshaped panel member having sufficient structural strength to support or carry the air load. As noted before, and more clearly seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, each wing panel 14a, 14b may be hinged in two places to the bomb casing 10a. For attaching the aforesaid wing panel-hinges l6 and 17 to the test body or bomb casing 10a, heavy-type of steel rings, as indicated respectively at 18 and 19 in the said FIG. 3, may be used. It is desirable for a winged-type bomb, such as the present retarded glide bomb 10, that active control thereof, be avoided, if possible, in which event, both wing panels 14a, 14b could be linked together for simultaneous movement, as has been previously indicated, and such an arrangement would fall well within the purview of the present invention. However, some positive and individual opening means has been incorporated with the said wing panels 14a, 14b and such means has, in fact, been disclosed in detail in the view of FIG. 4. Accordingly, each of said wing panels has been designed with its own separate, positive opening and positioning means, such as is shown generally at 20 in the said FIG. 4 for wing panel 14a. A similar opening and positioning means (not shown) may be utilized for the wing panel 14b. To apply the requisite opening force to wing panel 14a, the latter may be equipped with a wing actuator arm 21 that is integrally formed thereto and extends substantially from the hinge axis thereof downwardly between the hinges 16 and 17 (note FIG. 3).

As seen clearly in the aforesaid FIG. 4, the aforementioned opening and positioning means 20, which actually may constitute a pneumatic actuator mechanism, may comprise a hydraulic cylinder 22 that may contain a supply of hydraulic fluid at 22a, a piston and piston rod at 23 and 24, respectively, slidably mounted within said cylinder, and a first, interconnecting linkage element, indicated at 25 as being integrally mounted with, V

and forming a straight-link extension to, said piston rod 24. A second linkage element at 26 is pivotally interconnected at opposite ends thereof between the outer end portion 25a of the first linkage element 25 and the bottom end portion 21a of the wing actuator arm 21, as by means of the oppositely-disposed pivots, indicated respectively at 27 and 28. The second linkage element 26 may be pivotally mounted between the previouslynoted wing actuator arm 21 and the first, linkage element 25 by means of bifurcated end portions, as seen more particularly in FIG. 3.

The aforesaid pneumatic actuator mechanism 20 may be anchored to the internal casing of the bomb 10 by means of a third linkage element at 29 (FIG. 4) which may be pivoted at one end thereof to the pivot axis of the previously-referred to pivot 27, as shown, and at the other end thereof to the bomb casing-anchor element 32, as by means of the pivot at 31. Thus, partial restraint as well as support, is provided between the casing of the bomb 10, and the said pneumatic actuator mechanism 20 and therefore the wing panel 14a of the present invention.

With the above-described pneumatic actuator mechanism 20 for the wing panel 14a, and an identical actuator mechanism for for the wing panel 14b, gas pressure may be applied to the top of the piston 23 to thereby commence the opening action of the wing panels, such as at 14a. Naturally, the pressure may be made sufficient, for example, to overcome any wellknown type of shear device, or, alternatively, said wing panels may be safety-wired during their assembly to the aircraft bomb release mechanism, again, in a wellknown mannersimilar to the arming action of conventional bombs, which safety wire may thereafter be automatically removed by the release action thereof. Of course, neither the actual bomb release mechanism, nor the specific means for normally retaining wing panels 14a and 14b in their retracted position, has been illustrated or described, since many already-developed standard means are available for these purposes, and, moreover, the specific details thereof are unimportant to the present invention. Naturally, the mounting assembly of the bomb 10 to the delivery aircraft 11 would retain the said wing panels 14a, 14b in their retracted position by some means such as indicated above, until the bomb 10 was released for destruction of the designated target area. After the present retarded glide bomb 10 is released, as noted hereinbefore, from the delivery aircraft 11 and the shear device has been overcome by the gas pressure on top of the piston 23, or, alternatively, the safety wire has been automatically removed during the release of the bomb in a wellknown manner, the wing panels of the present invention, as for example, wing panel 14a, will commence to open as indicated hereinbefore, through the operation of the previously-described pneumatic operator mechanism 20. After opening only a few degrees, aerodynamic loading will continue to operate the said wing panel to its fully opened position. The rate of such wing opening may be controlled by the rate at which hydraulic fluid may be allowed to bleed or otherwise discharge from the cylinder 22. Of course, this final opening action of the wing panel 14a by the cy might be necessitated for certain target areas 1 through errors being imposed on the trajectory of the bomb foreseeably from a large initial pitching rate being applied during the ejection-of the bomb, coupled with a strong inherent dihedral effect associated therewith, which could cause the bomb to lose stability in roll and yaw, or less severely, to fly with a steadystate bank angle producing an undesirable helical trajectory. Moreover, the wake turbulence created by the aircraft 11 might also create an instability in the bomb 10. Therefore, taking into consideration such factors as long stockpile life, reliability, and ease of application, the most promising power source would be high pressure gas. For this purpose, there is sufficient space within the body of the retarded glide bomb 10 itself to store, in a toroidally-shape reservoir bottle, such as is schematically illustrated at 33 in the view of FIG. 5, approximately 100 cubic inches of gas at a pressure of 10,000 psi. To compensate for the aforementioned rolling and/or yaw effects created by the previouslydescribed instability conditions that might characterize the trajectory of the bomb 10, the wing panels 14a and 14b should be pulsed, or, in other words, moved up and down from their fully opened positions. Thus, to effect drooping or sagging of the said wing panels, such as that at 14a in FIG. 4, a total of 5, for example, the previously-noted piston 23 must be moved or raised 1.0 inch in the cylinder 22. This produces a volume of 1.77 cubic inches. This action may be accomplished by opening the valve at 34, thereby permitting high pressure gas from the reservoir bottle 33 to expand adiabatically into the cylinder 22 to thereby move the piston 23, as noted hereinbefore. This movement of the piston 23, of course, also effects movement of the previously-described linkage elements 25 and 26 interconnected therewith. Since the latter have been previously substantially straightened out by the completed opening action of the wing panel 14a, through the effects of aerodynamic loading (note FIG. 3), the further movement of the piston 23, described hereinbefore in connection with the apparatus of FIG. 5, actually results in a reversed, or downward pivoting action between the said linkage elements 25 and 26, thereby causing a partial closing or sagging to the wing panel 14a.

Once the wing panel, as at Ma, has drooped or sagged in the manner described hereinbefore, valve 34 would then be closed, isolating the gas supply from the actuating cylinder 22, and when itis desired to return the wing panel 14a to its fully opened position, the valve at 35 would be opened, allowing escape of the gas in the cylinder 22 and the piston 23 to thereby bottom in the said cylinder. Valve 35 would then be closed, completing the cycle. To effect automatic control of the above-described mechanism for alternately drooping or sagging the wing panels 14a, 14b, during flight of the bomb 10 and thereby counteract the previouslynoted inherent instability characteristics, the opening and closing of the aforementioned valves 34 and 35 may be automatically effected by means of either a torque measuring, roll rate sensing, and roll angle sensing systems. These systems, under current investigation, have not been shown, since the specific details thereof are unimportant to the specific operation of the new and improved wing panels 14a and 14b and the pneumatic operator mechanism 20 of the present invention, as previously-described in connection with the operation of the piston 23. Thus, to provide the requisite opening force to the said piston 23, it is only necessary to preseal a supply of high pressure gas in the hydraulic cylinder 22, so as to be automatically acting'against the restrained piston 23 until the bomb 10 is released. At this point, wing panels 14a, 14b, which may be restrained in their bomb release mechanism, are now free to be positively acted upon by the now-freed movement of the piston 23.

Iclaim:

1. An aerial glide-type bomb releasable from a delivery aircraft at a predesignated, relatively low altitude and first position for impact on a selected target area, and including a bomb casing; first, auxiliary bomb-retardation means comprising a relatively low drag device built into, and releasable rearwardly from said bomb casing immediately after the release thereof from the delivery aircraft, for thereby initially delaying the subsequent forward flight to be thereafter imparted to said bomb, and allow the delivery aircraft to reach a second position beyond the first, bomb-release position and well clear of the pending flight path of the bomb; and second, main bomb-retardation means for substantially delaying the impact of the bomb on the target area and incorporated within said bomb casing; said main, bomb-retardation means comprising; a pair of v retractable, wing-like, panel members attached within the bomb and forming an integral part of its casing, when in retracted position; said panel members being automatically movable to an extended, substantial lift producing position outwardly of the bomb casing initially by the operation of a separate positive acting-actuation mechanism for each panel member built into said bomb casing and having an element interconnected with the respective panel member for initiating the opening thereof, and being further moved to the fully opened position by the supplementary action of the air flow thereon, for thereby providing for the development of a lifting force sufficient to direct the said bomb in an upward flight mode to a second, bomblocated position at an altitude substantially higher than that of the first, bomb-released position; and a relatively high drag device releasably held within the bomb casing and automatically released after the bomb has reached its maximum altitude by the lift producing action of said panel members, for thereby significantly retarding the time of the bomb impact on said target area to allow the delivery aircraft sufficient time to reach a safe position.

2. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively low drag device comprises an elongated cable element, and a relatively small drag cone.

3. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively low drag device comprises a relatively small drag-type of parachute.

4. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively high drag device comprises an elongated cable member, and a relatively large drag cone.

5. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim I, wherein said relatively high drag device comprises a relatively high drag parachute deployable after the bomb has flown to its maximum altitude for thereby parachuting said bomb to a relatively low impact on the selected target area.

6. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said built-in, panel member-actuation mechanism is incorporated within a combined opening and positioning means that includes a pair of hinge elements for each panel member; a fixed steel ring element for attaching each pair of said hinge elements to the bomb casing; a first, main, panel actuator arm integrally formed at one end thereof to each panel member; a second, linkage element arm attached between the opposite end of each actuator arm and the upper end of a third, linkage element arm; a pneumatic actuator mechanism comprising a built-in source of hydraulic fluid including a cylinder, a piston and piston rod slidably mounted within said cylinder and acted upon by said hydraulic fluid; said piston rod being attached to, and thereby operably connected with the lower end of said third, linkage element arm, and further forming a straightline linkage therewith; and means for anchoring said pneu matic actuator mechanism to the bomb casing comprising a fourth linkage element arm pivotally attached between the upper end pivot of said third linkage element arm and the bomb casing; the piston rod of said pneumatic actuator mechanism being automatically operative under the action of the inherent pressure being exerted thereon by said hydraulic fluid, through said first, second and third, linkage arm elements interconnected therewith to thereby initially move each of said panel members to their lift-producing, extended positions, when said bomb has been released from the delivery aircraft; the pressure of air thereafter extending and keeping said panel members to their fully opened positions.

7. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 6; and separate, built-in stability compensating means for controlling each panel member and comprising a source of high-pressure gas stored in the bomb casing; a first, automatically-operating, valve-controlled, gas-inlet line between the high-pressure source and the hydraulic cylinder for automatically supplying high pressure gas, when the valve has been opened, to move said piston, piston rod, interconnecting linkage element arms and the previously fully-straightened panel member attached thereto in an inward or closing direction to thereby reduce its angle of attack and resulting lift, and thus automatically apply a counteracting rolling or yawing movement in a direction opposite to that inherently occurring from an instability condition during the flight of the bomb; and a second, automaticallyoperating, valve-controlled, gas-outlet line in communication with the hydraulic cylinder and having a common line portion with said, first, gas-inlet line to thereby allow the escape of gas, when its valve has been opened, from within said hydraulic cylinder and thus automatically return said panel member to its fully opened position. 

1. An aerial glide-type bomb releasable from a delivery aircraft at a predesignated, relatively low altitude and first position for impact on a selected target area, and including a bomb casing; first, auxiliary bomb-retardation means comprising a relatively low drag device built into, and releasable rearwardly from said bomb casing immediately after the release thereof from the delivery aircraft, for thereby initially delaying the subsequent forward flight to be thereafter imparted to said bomb, and allow the delivery aircraft to reach a second position beyond the first, bomb-release position and well clear of the pending flight path of the bomb; and second, main bomb-retardation means for substantially delaying the impact of the bomb oN the target area and incorporated within said bomb casing; said main, bombretardation means comprising; a pair of retractable, wing-like, panel members attached within the bomb and forming an integral part of its casing, when in retracted position; said panel members being automatically movable to an extended, substantial lift-producing position outwardly of the bomb casing initially by the operation of a separate positive acting-actuation mechanism for each panel member built into said bomb casing and having an element interconnected with the respective panel member for initiating the opening thereof, and being further moved to the fully opened position by the supplementary action of the air flow thereon, for thereby providing for the development of a lifting force sufficient to direct the said bomb in an upward flight mode to a second, bomb-located position at an altitude substantially higher than that of the first, bomb-released position; and a relatively high drag device releasably held within the bomb casing and automatically released after the bomb has reached its maximum altitude by the lift producing action of said panel members, for thereby significantly retarding the time of the bomb impact on said target area to allow the delivery aircraft sufficient time to reach a safe position.
 2. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively low drag device comprises an elongated cable element, and a relatively small drag cone.
 3. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively low drag device comprises a relatively small drag-type of parachute.
 4. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively high drag device comprises an elongated cable member, and a relatively large drag cone.
 5. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said relatively high drag device comprises a relatively high drag parachute deployable after the bomb has flown to its maximum altitude for thereby parachuting said bomb to a relatively low impact on the selected target area.
 6. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 1, wherein said built-in, panel member-actuation mechanism is incorporated within a combined opening and positioning means that includes a pair of hinge elements for each panel member; a fixed steel ring element for attaching each pair of said hinge elements to the bomb casing; a first, main, panel actuator arm integrally formed at one end thereof to each panel member; a second, linkage element arm attached between the opposite end of each actuator arm and the upper end of a third, linkage element arm; a pneumatic actuator mechanism comprising a built-in source of hydraulic fluid including a cylinder, a piston and piston rod slidably mounted within said cylinder and acted upon by said hydraulic fluid; said piston rod being attached to, and thereby operably connected with the lower end of said third, linkage element arm, and further forming a straightline linkage therewith; and means for anchoring said pneumatic actuator mechanism to the bomb casing comprising a fourth linkage element arm pivotally attached between the upper end pivot of said third linkage element arm and the bomb casing; the piston rod of said pneumatic actuator mechanism being automatically operative under the action of the inherent pressure being exerted thereon by said hydraulic fluid, through said first, second and third, linkage arm elements interconnected therewith to thereby initially move each of said panel members to their lift-producing, extended positions, when said bomb has been released from the delivery aircraft; the pressure of air thereafter extending and keeping said panel members to their fully opened positions.
 7. An aerial glide-type bomb as in claim 6; and separate, built-in stability compensating means for controlling each panel member and comprising a source of high-pressure gas stored in the bomb casing; a first, automatically-operating, valve-controlled, gas-inlet line between the high-pressure source and the hydraulic cyliNder for automatically supplying high pressure gas, when the valve has been opened, to move said piston, piston rod, interconnecting linkage element arms and the previously fully-straightened panel member attached thereto in an inward or closing direction to thereby reduce its angle of attack and resulting lift, and thus automatically apply a counteracting rolling or yawing movement in a direction opposite to that inherently occurring from an instability condition during the flight of the bomb; and a second, automatically-operating, valve-controlled, gas-outlet line in communication with the hydraulic cylinder and having a common line portion with said, first, gas-inlet line to thereby allow the escape of gas, when its valve has been opened, from within said hydraulic cylinder and thus automatically return said panel member to its fully opened position. 